Walking Together

Inspired by the words of late Chief Charles Labrador of Acadia First Nation in Nova Scotia,

Go into the forest, you see the Birch, Maple, Pine. Look underground and all those trees are holding hands. We as people must do the same.

authors Elder Albert D. Marshall and Louise Zimanyi tell a poetic story of people experiencing, sharing and respecting the world and each other in the picture book Walking Together. The book takes readers on a walk outside noticing and appreciating elements of the water, land, sky, and nature. The authors write how we need to hear the voices of young and old, the language of the land and animals, respecting and sharing what we take from nature. If we take this walk together, we will “know the world through two eyes.”
The afterward and author’s notes are detailed and thoughtfully written for adults and children alike. In Marshall’s author’s note, it says, “He [Marshall] has been working to bring forward the concept of Two-Eyed Seeing –learning to see from one eye with the strengths of (or best in) Indigenous knowledges and ways of knowing, and learning to see from the other eye with the strengths of (or best in) non-Indigenous knowledges and ways of knowing –and most importantly, using both of these eyes together to know your gifts and responsibilities for the benefit of All Our Relations, for Mother Earth.” The book is clearly successful in portraying this concept of Two-Eyed seeing for even young children. Marshall and Zimanyi do a wonderful job telling a lyrical story about peace and unity among people, animals and nature.

We take only if there is enough.
We ask before we take
And we listen for the answer.
We share.

We sing the Mother Earth song.
We say thank you.
We’lalin.
Miigwech.

Emily Kewageshig’s illustrations are a tour-de-force. The colour, the detail, the woodlands style, the diverse portrayal of people, all work seamlessly to tell the story and teachings through art. Walking Together’s one of the most visually stunning Canadian picture books I’ve ever seen. Even the layout and the glossy illustrated front and back covers make it a pleasure just to hold and flip through.

In a time when it seems there is much to divide us as people,Walking Together, by Elder Albert D. Marshall and Louise Zimanyi, illustrated by Emily Kewageshig, helps bring us together and back to Earth and nature. A book for all ages and settings.